Marine Articles
Stay updated on the latest blog posts from DMS. Everything from videos to technical articles, the latest software, and so much more.
Guts of CFD: Near Wall Effects
Turbulence does tricky things near walls. Boundary layers and laminar sublayers compact interesting flow patterns into a very small space. Small it may be, but experience proved we cannot ignore it. The boundary layer forms on the body, which is our object of interest, arguably the most critical region. Turbulence is most critical near the wall, and we need to consider near wall effects.
Guts of CFD: Turbulence
How we address turbulence is the defining feature of modern computational fluid dynamics (CFD). No modern computer has the power to directly compute the full details of turbulence (as of 2019). Instead, we make approximations and develop empirical models. What type of approximation, and which models should you select?
Guts of CFD: CFD Linear Solution
The heart of any CFD program is an extremely efficient linear algebra solver. But CFD equations are non-linear. How do we stretch the limits of linear algebra to accommodate non-linear CFD equations? How do we take the mathematics from one cell and apply them to millions of cells?
How to Design a Waterjet: Key Elements of Waterjets
What makes a waterjet work? What is the difference between a good and bad waterjet? Waterjets may appear to be brutes of power, but they rely on delicately balanced design equations. Learn the common elements that go into all waterjets and discover the best practices that you should expect from any decent waterjet design.
Practical CFD Modeling: Judging Convergence
CFD convergence is not an exact science. The CFD engineer relies on three tools to judge when a simulation finishes: monitors, flow patterns, and residuals. But none of these tools work 100% of the time. The well-trained engineer understands how to use these tools and how to combine them into a cohesive picture and reliably judge a converged CFD simulation.
Guts of CFD: Interpolation Equations
The core of all calculus problems require us to consider something infinitely small. Ask a computer to ponder the concept of infinity and watch its circuits fry. If we want to solve the equations of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), we need a way to fake calculus. This impacts the stability, the mesh quality, and the ultimate simulation quality. Enter interpolation equations.
Guts of CFD: Transport Equation
What is the utility of a transport equation? What do they achieve? Transport equations form the fundamental language of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). CFD engineers use them to communicate ideas, program CFD software, and diagnose problems with their simulations. But they only work if you understand the language. Today we explain transport equations and the significance of their terms.
Guts of CFD: Navier Stokes Equations
Navier Stokes Equation. Shrouded in mystery and intimidation. Navier Stokes is essential to CFD, and to all fluid mechanics. This equation defines the basic properties of fluid motion. But there is more to gain from understanding the meaning of the equation rather than memorizing its derivation. Today we review Navier Stokes Equation with a focus on the meaning behind the math.
Practical CFD: General Approach
Just fresh out of college, and the boss assigned your first project for computational fluid dynamics (CFD). You are excited. You can’t wait to begin the challenge. You sit down at your computer, start up the CFD software . . . and freeze like a deer in headlights. How to begin? What to do first? Today we discuss the general workflow for a CFD project and highlight some general modeling advice.
CFD Workflow
What happens behind the curtain when the CFD engineer goes to work? What goes into making a CFD simulation? As a project manager, you need to understand the workflow of a CFD project; this helps you plan the project and track budget expenses. When we understand the workflow, we know the right questions and can anticipate project delays.
Which CFD?
Is there anything that CFD can’t do? Practically speaking, we can achieve the result, but you may regret paying for the answer. Several CFD projects involve combinations of different CFD methodologies. Combined together, they evolve into a major project risk. Gain some insight about the risk factors for your next CFD project. Plan a strategy to minimize project risks so that you don’t get caught by combining unknown cost increases.
What is CFD
What is CFD? It uses the computer and adds to our capabilities for fluid mechanics analysis. If used improperly, it can become an incredible waste of time and money. With the right engineer, CFD can be cost effective, incredibly informative, and offer unparalleled flexibility. But what is this wonder of modern science? Learn more about this expansive tool.
Breakthrough Technology for Oil Spill Cleanup
Extreme spill technology (EST) developed a new approach to oil recovery. It works on the ocean, simpler and more reliable. Want to learn more?
Six Ways to Break the Ship
Why are ship structures so labor intensive to design? Engineers need to anticipate multiple methods of failure, which makes a lot of work. The trick of efficient structural analysis focuses on recognizing which methods of failure are likely in each scenario. This article reveals six major methods of structural failure, with examples of common applications. Because it will be the failure mode you didn’t consider that ultimately leads to catastrophe.
Waterjets: When to Use, Pros and Cons
Waterjets are fun. They give you great maneuvering control and promise much higher efficiency at high speeds. But that flexibility comes with the price of more subtle limits on performance. Used incorrectly, waterjets perform worse than propellers. This article focuses on the merits of waterjets, with focus on the most important factor: efficiency.